Learn more about zinc

Uses

The primary use of zinc is in galvanizing, which protects iron and steel from rusting. However, zinc can also be alloyed with other metals and used for die casting into shapes such as door handles, alloyed with copper to make brass, and alloyed with copper and tin to make bronze.

Brass fittings are used in Canadian households across the country in plumbing and heat exchange equipment.

Zinc can also be added to fertilizers to increase crop yields, made into zinc oxide (an ingredient in skin cream), and used in the manufacture of tires.

Zinc, global uses, 2017

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This circular chart shows the major global uses of zinc as of 2017. The largest use is for galvanizing (50%), followed by alloy production (17%), brass and bronze production (17%), semi-manufacturing (6%), in chemicals (6%) and in other miscellaneous products (4%).

Production

In 2017, mined zinc production increased in Canada from the previous year. Refined zinc metal was produced at refineries in British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec.

Find out more about Canadian production of zinc:

Canadian mine production of zinc, by province and territory, 2017 (p)

Ranking

Province

Thousand tonnes

Percentage of total

1

Manitoba

137.0

39.8%

2

Quebec

94.0

27.3%

3

Ontario

72.0

21.0%

4

New Brunswick

41.0

11.9%

Total

344.0

100.0%

Canadian mine production of zinc, 2008–2017 (p)

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This bar graph shows Canada’s annual mine production of zinc from 2008 to 2017. Production was 750,502 tonnes in 2008 and 344,294 tonnes in 2017.

Canadian refined production of zinc, 2008–2017 (p)

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This bar graph shows Canada’s refined production of zinc from 2008 to 2017. Production was 764,310 tonnes in 2008 and 598,415 tonnes in 2017.

International context

Find out more about mined and refined zinc production on an international scale:

World mine production of zinc, by country, 2017 (p)

Ranking

Country

Thousand tonnes

Percentage of total

1

China

5,192

39.2%

2

Peru

1,473

11.1%

3

India

850

6.4%

4

United States

783

5.9%

5

Australia

747

5.6%

6

Mexico

677

5.1%

7

Bolivia

497

3.8%

8

Kazakhstan

375

2.8%

9

Canada

344

2.6%

-

Other countries

2,292

17.3%

Total

13,230

100%

World mine production of zinc reached 13.2 million tonnes in 2017.

World mine production of zinc, 2008–2017 (p)

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This bar graph shows the world’s annual mine production of zinc from 2008 to 2017. Production was 11.8 million tonnes in 2008 and 13.2 million tonnes in 2017.

Canada ranked fourth among the world’s producers of refined zinc in 2017.

World refined production of zinc, by country, 2017 (p)

Ranking

Country

Thousand tonnes

Percentage of total

1

China

6,220

45%

2

South Korea

1,014

7%

3

India

819

6%

4

Canada

598

4%

5

Spain

507

4%

6

Australia

469

3%

-

Other countries

4,139

30%

Total

13,724

100%

World refined zinc metal production, which includes zinc from both mined sources and recycled material, totalled 13.7 million tonnes in 2017.

World refined production of zinc, 2008–2017 (p)

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This bar graph shows the world’s annual refined production of zinc from 2008 to 2017. Production was 11.8 million tonnes in 2008 and 13.7 million tonnes in 2017.

World reserves

The world’s total zinc reserves, as calculated by the U.S. Geological Survey, were estimated at 230 million tonnes in 2017. Australia, China and Peru are among the nations with the largest zinc reserves in the world. Canada is eighth with 5.4 million tonnes.

World zinc reserves, by country, 2017 (p)

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This circular chart shows the estimated world reserves of zinc in 2017, by country and in percentages. Australia had the largest share with 28%, followed by China (18%), Peru (12%), Mexico (9%), Kazakhstan (6%), India (5%), United States (4%), Canada (2%) and other countries (16%).

Trade

Exports

Total exports of zinc and zinc products from Canada in 2017 were valued at $2.1 billion

Canada exported 453,100 tonnes of unwrought zinc and other zinc metal products in 2017, compared with 537,000 tonnes in 2016

Zinc metal was exported primarily to the United States (87%), with minor amounts shipped to China, Thailand and Malaysia

Imports

In 2017, zinc and zinc products imported to Canada were valued at $1.1 billion

Canadian smelters imported 323,000 tonnes of zinc in concentrates in 2017, compared with 414,000 tonnes in 2016

Concentrates were imported mainly from the United States, Bolivia, Namibia and Mexico

Prices

Prices generally rose throughout 2017, from US$2,713 per tonne in January to a high of US$3,274 per tonne in October, followed by some weakening in November and December, and closing the year at US$3,192 per tonne.

Zinc, average monthly prices, 2008–2017

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This line graph shows the monthly average price in US dollars per tonne of zinc from 2008 to 2017. In 2008, the average annual price of zinc was $1,900 per tonne. In 2017, the average annual price of zinc was $2,894 per tonne, and the monthly prices were as follows: $2,713 (January); $2,848 (February); $2,782 (March); $2,633 (April); $2,590 (May); $2,572 (June); $2,785 (July); $2,982 (August); $3,120 (September); $3,274 (October); $3,236 (November); and $3,192 (December).

Recycling

Approximately 25% of global zinc demand is supplied from recycled materials. Sources of recycled zinc include scrap galvanized steel and zinc contained in batteries. Products like galvanized steel have a long service life, which affects the amount of material available to the marketplace for recycling in any given year.